


Seeing Through the Mask

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Hopeful Ending, Illusions, Magic, Magical Realms, Working Through Problems, Working togther
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 18:53:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9507512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: Rumple and Belle have traveled to the realm of the Black Fairy to search for Gideon.





	

Rumple shivered and gripped Belle’s hand in warning. They’d almost instantly discovered he was sensitive to changes in his mother’s realm, a useful warning for the next misleading illusion she put in their way.

“Rumple.”

As one they turned to find the Evil Queen lounging against a tree. She totally ignored Belle and sauntered over to Rumple, plucking the tie from his chest and trying to pull him into her. He stood statue like and tugged the strip of silk from between her fingers, she gave a haughty sniff and pulled her hand back, her fingers tapping against her collar bone.

“No need to play coy because the bookworm is here, Rumple. Everyone in Storybrooke will know the level of your affection for me soon enough.”

His mother certainly knew where to drive the wedge. He and Belle were only just on speaking times again, rubbing his infidelity in Belle’s face was the sort of cruelty he should have foreseen. He managed to keep his voice level as he asked; “What do you mean by that, dearie?”

The Evil Queen smirked at him and step back, her hands caressing her now rounded stomach.

“So wonderful the way time works here. We’ll be able to see our child.”

Belle felt sick as the doubt wormed it to her mind. The Black Fairy’s illusions had a grain of truth in them. She’d not asked for details about his liaison with the Evil Queen, there’d not been time and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. It was possible that Rumple had already fathered a third child, one without a contract looming over its head, one that would have magic, one that he could see born and raise to be as dark as he wanted. Her grip on Rum’s hand loosened for an instant and that was long enough for a mirror to appear in the Evil Queen’s hand.

“Shall we take a look at our child Rumple?”

Rum’s fingers tightened around hers and grounded Belle again, this wasn’t real, there was something floating in her mind telling her that this was impossible, but she couldn’t quite grasp the thought. Rumple glanced in the mirror at the face of a child with whiskey brown eyes and jet black hair. Belle was surprised that he was so uninterested in the image, the thought trying to form in her mind grew clearer, as Rumple calmly said; “A true miracle child.”

The Evil Queen purred; “Yes, think of the greatness our child will achieve.”

Rumple softly snorted; “Being conceived would be miracle enough since you are barren and we never had sex.”

The illusion Evil Queen snarled at the honesty in Rum’s words, the truth had power in this realm of lies. Belle’s thoughts suddenly became clear.

“Regina is barren, she took a potion to prevent herself from ever having children, it’s in the storybook.”

The illusion tried to rally.

“You forget bookworm, I’m not Regina.”

“No you’re not, you’re not even the Evil Queen. You’re nothing but a distraction. Now get out of our way, so we can find our son.”

With a final snarl the illusion melted into the air. Belle took a deep breath, the air felt lighter just as it had every time they had broken through another layer of the Black Fairy’s deception.

“I spoke the truth Belle.”

She looked into Rumple’s anxious face and for a second could almost see his long hair again as he ducked his head but maintained eye contact with her.

“I know. You barely spared that image a glance, if there had been even the slimmest possibility that the Evil Queen was carrying your child you wouldn’t have been so indifferent. I know how deep your emotions for your children run.”

He gave her a grateful nod and pointed to the path ahead. He knew there was no chance to go back and have what they had lost, but she’d shown him yet again that she saw him, really saw him and that was enough to give him hope that they had a chance to salvage something of their relationship and build a future as a family.


End file.
